No charges for Starr over sexual offence allegations

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Freddie Starr will not be charged over allegations of sexual offences. (s)

COMEDIAN Freddie Starr will not be prosecuted over allegations of sexual offences.

The Crown Prosecution Service made the announcement following a review of the allegations made by 13 indiviudals against the 71-year-old. The Mappleborough Green resident was arrested as part of Operation Yewtree, the police investigation which began following the revelations about Jimmy Savile. Starr has always denied the allegations against him.

The CPS received initial material from the Metropolitan Police Service regarding the allegations in December 2012. Investigative advice was provided to the police throughout 2013 and the final evidence was submitted to the CPS in March this year.

Baljit Ubhey, Chief Crown Prosecutor of CPS London, said: "Having carefully reviewed this case, we have decided that there is insufficient evidence to prosecute Freddie Starr in relation to allegations of sexual offences made by 13 individuals. Each allegation was considered on its own merits and we have concluded that the available evidence does not offer a realistic prospect of conviction for any of the alleged offences.

"In relation to one further complainant, we have decided that although there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction, according to the Code for Crown Prosecutors, a prosecution would not be in the public interest. It must be remembered that a determination by a prosecutor that there is sufficient evidence to prosecute under the Code does not mean that the suspect is guilty of the offence.

"Prosecutors have to consider whether there is enough evidence to bring a case to trial but deciding whether an offence has been committed is entirely a matter for courts and juries and every suspect is innocent until proven guilty.

"All of these decisions have been taken in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors and our guidance for prosecutors on cases of sexual offences. The complainants have been informed and we will be writing to them to more fully explain our decision."